


Simply Having a Wonderful Solsticetime

by DoubtingRabbit



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Christmas Decorations, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28288788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoubtingRabbit/pseuds/DoubtingRabbit
Summary: The moon is rightThe spirits upWe're here tonightAnd that's enoughA Christmas gift for Lenticular: Tenzin spends a romantic Solstice Eve with Tarrlok explaining the traditions the First Family of Republic City set for the holiday.
Relationships: Pema/Tenzin (Avatar), Tarrlok/Tenzin (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	Simply Having a Wonderful Solsticetime

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lenticular](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lenticular/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Crawl Into My Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25767682) by [Lenticular](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lenticular/pseuds/Lenticular). 



The brisk winter's wind had blown him faithfully over Republic City to a particular rooftop, and pressed at his back until he could slip down the fire stairs. He slipped indoors thanks to an unlocked window and made his way down the condominium's hallways to find the tastefully-decorated door to Tarrlok's apartment. Silvery tinsel mimicked the glimmer of ice flowing down the frame, and a wreath of dried seaweed beaded with blue hung around the knocker. As Tenzin announced his presence with a knock, he could hear the phonograph come to life with a festive tune.

"Don't start," Tenzin said, his nose wrinkling when Tarrlok opened the door and flooded him with music.

"Start what?" asked Tarrlok, both casually lounging in and completely blocking the doorway, all dressed in holiday blue and white with accents of brilliant red.

"With  _ that _ song," Tenzin said, gesturing at the speaker behind Tarrlok's shoulder before pushing his way in so as not to linger in the hallway.

"What? What's wrong with it? It's my favorite holiday song!"

Tenzin rolled his eyes. He shrugged off his mantle and handed it to Tarrlok to hang up for him with such a practiced motion that you'd think he was coming home, not sneaking in to the infrequently-visited apartment of an illicit lover. He settled on the sofa before a roaring fire and a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket of ice on the coffee table, waiting for Tarrlok to join him before answering.

"It's too ... commercial."

"Oh?" Tarrlok prompted as he poured two glasses of wine and placed one in his hand.

Tenzin remembered that the man had grown up on the edges of the Northern territory, and while the rest of the nations frequently adopted the more popular Republic City customs at the solstice, there were quite a few that did not. Some of them, vehemently so.

Giving a gesture with his glass, Tenzin tried to explain, "It's just that, well, there's not a lot that they do now with the same kind of spirit and family. The radio shows to sell solstice disks and the push for gifts."

"Mm," Tarrlok replied, lounging next to him and taking generous draws from his glass. "Wasn't it your family that began that tradition, anyway? Not very watertribe, anyway."

"Or Air Nomad," Tenzin agreed and took a sip as well. He glanced down at the glass in surprise; Tarrlok had spared no expense on this bottle, the spices mulled into it was highlighted by the chill of the liquid. He could sense his lover's amused glance and so, clearing his throat, he continued, "But it became more about the gift itself than the importance of the gift, you see. The spirit of the Painted Lady was to gift someone what they needed, but also wanted, and finding the perfect gift for that takes time and effort. 

"Until I turned nine I can remember, we would tell the veil our wishes while our parents waited in the other room with their ear pressed to the door and they would work out what gift would suit each of us best. Now, it's about the amount of gifts, and how expensive they are, no matter their importance to the person giving or receiving them."

Tarrlok laughed at him and he felt a little self-conscious, drawing back from his sprawl into himself. "What?"

"Just that I can't picture you believing in the Painted Lady until you were eight!"

"Well, Kya and Bumi maintained it. They were in on it from the time they were five and seven, but I guess it brought everyone a good laugh to hear me say that I certainly  _ did _ see the Painted Lady in the hallway while getting a drink of water on solstice eve."

"Even you were once a silly child," Tarrlok said, patting his knee and leaving his hand there, the warmth of which relaxed Tenzin greatly. "It's quite the experience, to spend the holidays with the origin of the traditions here in the City. Like the seaweed wreaths. Seaweed wreaths aren't as common in the North, mostly just the garlands and usually only on the patriarchs birthday."

"Dad--" Tenzin paused, cleared his throat. "My father made them out of my mother's garland leftovers. Air Nomad tradition, though they usually used tree boughs from abandoned birdnests and given as prizes for the annual flying bison races."

"I feel like I should be writing this down," mused Tarrlok, and that brought Tenzin to a chuckle. "What are the little bells and balls on them for?"

"You'd decorate them with sugar beads, but Dad couldn't remember the recipe. It used to be sea prunes! He insisted that they'd make better decorations than food."

Tarrlok nearly choked on a laugh at that. Placing his near-empty glass back on the table and regaining his composure, he asked, "What's with the butter lamps, then?"

"To measure out the light between the sun and the moon. Kind of a sendup to Yui? They were Uncle's idea. But, I'm glad those are gone to wax candles," Tenzin said with a nod. "Smelling the butter lamps all the long night always made me hungry… Uncle Sokka just said that was the point."

"And what's with all the candy and pastries?"

"Well, who doesn't like candy and pastries?"

"Sugar was not very common in the Northern reaches," Tarrlok reminded him. "Some people thought it was decadent City food."

"Like your family?" Tenzin asked.

Tarrlok made a soft noise in his throat that was entirely noncommittal in answer. His hand returned to Tenzin's thigh, this time much higher up, and Tenzin could feel the strength of the wine as his face heated.

"Speaking of family," Tarrlok said, a sharp veering away from one uncomfortable topic to another. "Where are they tonight, on the very important holiday of Solstice Eve Eve?"

"My siblings are in town. Mother will meet with us tomorrow for the traditional supper." He saw the expectant look and sighed. "Pema is hosting a pre-solstice tea ceremony on the island, common to the old temple nuns. The girls are in attendance."

"So, we have all evening, just the two of us?" 

Tenzin was surprised that he didn't pry.

But he was even more surprised when Tarrlok didn't even bother waiting for a response before taking a kiss beneath the holiday sargassum hung overhead.

**Author's Note:**

> This world needs more Tenzin/Tarrlok. And yes that is indeed a reference to Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime. If it's stuck in your head now, I'm sorry-- but only a little.
> 
> @Lenticular - now you know why we were asking for your ideas on A:Lok winter holidays.


End file.
